The Buddha contrasts mendicants disliked and admired by their spiritual companions, each defined by seven qualities—including desire for material things, honor, and status, versus conscience, prudence, and right view.

AN 7.2 Pleasing (2nd)

“Sattahi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu sabrahmacārīnaṁ appiyo ca hoti amanāpo ca agaru ca abhāvanīyo ca. Katamehi sattahi? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu lābhakāmo ca hoti, sakkārakāmo ca hoti, anavaññattikāmo ca hoti, ahiriko ca hoti, anottappī ca, issukī ca, maccharī ca. Imehi kho, bhikkhave, sattahi dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu sabrahmacārīnaṁ appiyo ca hoti amanāpo ca agaru ca abhāvanīyo ca.

Sattahi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu sabrahmacārīnaṁ piyo ca hoti manāpo ca garu ca bhāvanīyo ca. Katamehi sattahi? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu na lābhakāmo ca hoti, na sakkārakāmo ca hoti, na anavaññattikāmo ca hoti, hirīmā ca hoti, ottappī ca, anissukī ca, amaccharī ca. Imehi kho, bhikkhave, sattahi dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu sabrahmacārīnaṁ piyo ca hoti manāpo ca garu ca bhāvanīyo cā”ti.

Dutiyaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Sattahi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu sabrahmacārīnaṁ appiyo ca hoti amanāpo ca agaru ca abhāvanīyo ca.

“Mendicants, a mendicant with seven qualities is disliked and disapproved by their spiritual companions, not respected or admired.

Katamehi sattahi?

What seven?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu lābhakāmo ca hoti, sakkārakāmo ca hoti, anavaññattikāmo ca hoti, ahiriko ca hoti, anottappī ca, issukī ca, maccharī ca.

It’s when a mendicant desires material things, honor, and status. They lack conscience and prudence. They’re jealous and stingy.

Imehi kho, bhikkhave, sattahi dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu sabrahmacārīnaṁ appiyo ca hoti amanāpo ca agaru ca abhāvanīyo ca.

A mendicant with these seven qualities is disliked and disapproved by their spiritual companions, not respected or admired.

Sattahi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu sabrahmacārīnaṁ piyo ca hoti manāpo ca garu ca bhāvanīyo ca.

A mendicant with seven qualities is liked and approved by their spiritual companions, respected and admired.

Katamehi sattahi?

What seven?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu na lābhakāmo ca hoti, na sakkārakāmo ca hoti, na anavaññattikāmo ca hoti, hirīmā ca hoti, ottappī ca, anissukī ca, amaccharī ca.

It’s when a mendicant doesn’t desire material things, honor, and status. They have conscience and prudence. They’re not jealous or stingy.

Imehi kho, bhikkhave, sattahi dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu sabrahmacārīnaṁ piyo ca hoti manāpo ca garu ca bhāvanīyo cā”ti.

A mendicant with these seven qualities is liked and approved by their spiritual companions, respected and admired.”

Dutiyaṁ.

Topics & Qualities:

Conscience

Conscience

An inner moral sensitivity that shrinks from wrongdoing out of self-respect and personal integrity. It is the voice within that knows what is beneath one's dignity, guarding conduct through an inward standard of honor.

Also known as: with sense of right and wrong, sense of shame, modesty, (comm) originating from inside
Pāli: hirī
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Dearness

Dearness

A mental quality of holding something or someone as 'dear' through attachment, which binds the mind with craving and possessiveness. It is the external fixation upon what the mind clings to, often giving rise to envy, quarrels, and sorrow.

Also known as: beloved, cherished, pleasing
Pāli: piya
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Desire

Desire

A wholesome motivation, interest, or objective that acts as the starting point for effort and application of will.

Also known as: aspiration, interest, wish, having an objective, intention, impulse
Pāli: chanda
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Last updated on July 27, 2026